Guest Post: Fabric Maché Eggs by the decorated cookie!

Today's Easter goody is brought to us by the very talented Meaghan of the decorated cookie.  We did another of our holiday-themed sweet vs. sewn blog swaps, but this time we switched things up a bit.  Check out this awesome tutorial from Meaghan & find out more:

It's an all new season, so time again for a little blog swapping! While I'm stopping short of actually using needle and thread, I thought I would dabble a bit in Cheryl's medium (fabric) and step away from sugar (my medium at the decorated cookie).

This concept of papier mache-like Easter eggs from balloons isn't new, but I had a hard time finding instructions on making them with fabric, so I made my own. Still not perfect, but I can assure you these are better than my first two versions. You can leave them as-is or cut them open to make dioramas. While the fabric stiffener I used is non-toxic, I'm not so sure it's food safe, so I would use these as decorative pieces only.

how to make fabric Easter eggs


you will need:*

fabric

scissors

fabric stiffener

balloons

clothespins or other clips

string

wax paper

disposable bowl

plastic spoon

plastic gloves

paint brush (optional)

*I used Amy Butler's fabric, a great choice for the right thickness and pattern options. I used Aleene's Fabric Stiffener and Draping liquid, found in craft or fabric stores. Hmmm, it looked a lot like white glue, so I'm wondering if you can substitute any white glue that dries clear. The clips are just to hold the balloons. I used chip bag clips. You can also use clothespins, binder clips, whatever.

step one: prepare your materials
Lay a piece of wax paper over your work surface. Blow up balloons just enough to create an egg shape and tie knots at the end. Cut your fabric into squares about 1 1/2 inches (I was not exact, and didn't measure). Cut out a bunch of these so you don't have to cut out more with gluey hands. In the plastic bowl, stir equal parts fabric stiffener and glue. You'll need a couple teaspoons of each per balloon, depending on the size of the balloon.Clip each balloon knot with a clip. This will help steady the balloon. Suspend the string somewhere free of kids, pets and other curious beings.

step two: cover with fabric
Wearing gloves, submerge a square of fabric in the glue mixture, slide the square through your fingers to remove the excess stiffener mixture, and place the square on the balloon. Repeat, overlapping the squares, until the entire balloon is covered. I used a paintbrush to help smooth the edges, but you can also use your fingers. Clip onto the string to dry overnight.

 

step three: finish things up
The next day, cut off the balloon knot and let the balloon shrivel up inside the egg. If you're really attuned to detail (I'm not), you can glue another fabric square on top to cover the hole. Or, starting at the hole, use your scissors to cut out a section of egg to make a diorama.

 Thank you Cheryl and all your readers for letting me visit! Happy Easter everyone!!
Meaghan

And thanks to Meaghan for the awesome idea & tutorial!!